Tarot Draconis - Rider-Waite with dragons as guardians
Dragons rarely appear as protagonists in tarot. Usually you see them in the background or as an attribute on the Wands. In this deck they are everywhere, and they set the tone.
Davide Corsi has redrawn the 78 cards of the Rider-Waite system and linked each meaning to a dragon. Not as decoration, but as presence. The cards follow the familiar structure, but the imagery is darker and more intense than what you would expect from a classic deck.
What you see on the cards
The drawing style is digital and detailed, with a lot of attention to scales, wings and light. The colours are saturated: dark red, deep blue, gold, black. The cardstock has a glossy finish that gives the colours extra depth.
Each card shows a dragon in a different form or posture. Some are linked to fire, others to water or earth. The connection to the four elements is clearly visible, especially in the Minor Arcana. The symbolism remains recognisably Rider-Waite, but the atmosphere is more epic and direct.
The cards measure 66 x 120 mm. That is standard size, easy to shuffle and suitable for most spreads.
How the deck works in practice
This is not a contemplative deck. The images ask for a direct, intuitive response. Many readers use this deck for questions about strength, courage, transformation and tackling major challenges. The dragons give a certain urgency to a reading.
The guidebook is multilingual and contains basic meanings per card. There are no spreads included, but there are short descriptions that connect both the traditional meaning and the dragon theme. The text is functional, not a philosophical essay.
Before a reading, pull The Magician first and set it aside. Look at the dragon on that card and imagine you are using that energy to formulate your question clearly. Only then lay out the rest of the cards.
About Davide Corsi
Davide Corsi is an Italian illustrator who specialises in digital fantasy art. His work appears on book covers, in games and on tarot cards. For Lo Scarabeo he has created several decks, all with a preference for mythical creatures and epic settings.
His style is recognisable: sharp contrasts, dramatic light and a lot of attention to texture. In Tarot Draconis he uses this to give each card its own drama without losing the symbolism.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78 (Major and Minor Arcana)
- System: Rider-Waite-Smith
- Card dimensions: 66 x 120 mm
- Finish: glossy cardstock
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- Guidebook: multilingual instruction booklet (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian)
- Illustrator: Davide Corsi
Questions we often get
Does this deck follow the Rider-Waite meanings?
Yes. The imagery is different and the dragons give their own charge, but the structure and basic meanings correspond with the Rider-Waite system. If you know that system, you can use this deck straight away.
Can this deck be used by beginners?
Yes. The structure is Rider-Waite, so the cards are easy to learn. The intensity of the imagery might not suit everyone, but the system itself is accessible.
